This invention relates to couplers. More particularly, it relates to a coupler assembly for coupling a trailer to a towing vehicle hitch ball wherein the coupler assembly has a guided ball clamp to facilitate proper coupling of the towing vehicle and the hitch ball.
Trailer couplers are known. Typically, trailer couplers consist of a conformally-shaped socket that is close-fitting around a spherical hitch ball. The coupler also has securing means by which separation of the coupler and hitch ball is blocked.
In certain coupler types, the primary component of this coupler securing means is called the ball shoe or ball clamp. When the hitch ball and coupler are in proper engagement, the ball clamp resides behind the hitch ball and prevents disengagement of the hitch ball from the coupler.
A problem that sometimes occurs when a coupler is placed over a hitch ball is that the hitch ball does not properly enter into the socket portion of the coupler, the coupler is lowered over the hitch ball in such relationship that the hitch ball strikes the ball clamp from below and jams the ball clamp upward into the coupler where it is not in proper relationship with the hitch ball to prevent separation of the hitch ball and coupler.
There is a need, therefore, for a coupler that addresses the foregoing problem. It is an object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.